1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Radio Frequency Identification technologies, and more specifically to methods for using RFID tags to initiate selected business processes.
2. Background of the Invention
Whereas the determination of a publication, technology, or product as prior art relative to the present invention requires analysis of certain dates and events not disclosed herein, no statements made within this Background of the Invention shall constitute an admission by the Applicants of prior art unless the term “Prior Art” is specifically stated. Otherwise, all statements provided within this Background section are “other information” related to or useful for understanding the invention.
Many environments in which a number of items are handled have been enhanced by the addition of Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) technologies. Small “tags” are affixed to items or within their packaging which allow wireless, and often touch-free, “reading” of the tags' information. Individual products are often provided with an RFID tag, containing data identifying the product, the manufacturer, and even a serial number for the particular item. When a tagged item is “scanned”, it passes near an RFID reader, which emits a radio frequency signal to power the embedded integrated circuit in the RFID tag, and causes the RFID tag to wirelessly transmit this data. The RFID reader then receives the data, and routes it to a computer system, such as an electronic cash register or inventory control system.
RFID tags have become useful in large scale material handling, such as in manufacturing, assembly, packaging, shipping, and receiving operations, such as those shown in FIG. 5a. In this illustration, a single tagged item (51) travels on a conveyor belt or track (50), passing by an RFID reader (55). The tagged items may also be contained in small groups, such as a crate case (52), or in an even larger container of items such as a palletized gross (53).
In such a bulk handling situation, the speed of the conveyor (50) is usually set to the fastest possible speed at which the RFID tags of individual items (51) as well as all of the tags on items within the bulk packaging (51, 52) can be accurately read by the RFID reader (55). The RFID information is collected and processed by various common systems, such as inventory control systems, billing systems, etc.
In some scenarios, human operators, assemblers, service personnel, or the like are stationed along side the conveyor. These persons may have duties such as visually inspecting the items as they pass, performing an assembly action, performing a packing operation, or even performing a repair operation.
For handling of higher value items, and especially when human operators are part of the environment, video surveillance (54) may be provided in order to assure careful handling of delicate items, to reduce theft or pilfering, and to allow for centralized management of a work area, such as a production floor or shipping and receiving bay.